queen visits ottawa

'Home away from home': A look back through Queen Elizabeth II's official visits to Canada

Of all the countries in the Commonwealth, Canada was the late Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite destination, judging by how many times she graced our shores.

Over the course of her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II officially visited Canada more than 20 times, ranging from sweeping royal tours to visits for anniversaries and special events.

Canada’s relationship with the monarch has always been significant. The Queen was head of state for 16 countries in the Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica, among others, but of these 16 countries, the Queen has visited Canada the most.

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“My mother once said that this country felt like a home away from home for the Queen of Canada,” the Queen said during her last visit to Canada, in 2010.

“I’m delighted to report that it still does, and I’m delighted to be back amongst you all.”

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, she is the “most travelled monarch in history.”

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The first time that the Queen set foot on Canadian soil was when she was only 25 years old and still a princess — in 1951, she took her ailing father’s place to visit Canada with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip, who died on April 9, 2021, was particularly fond of Canada, and travelled to the country 46 times in total, including his many visits by the Queen’s side.

Two years after her first visit, in 1953, she was crowned Queen. She made a brief appearance in Gander, N.L. that year during a stopover on the way to tour other parts of the Commonwealth, but wouldn’t return for an official visit of Canada until 1957.

John Diefenbaker, the prime minister at the time, was eager to strengthen ties to Britain and cement the Queen’s role in Canada, and even had the Queen preside over a cabinet meeting during her brief visit.

During that trip, the Queen also opened Canada’s new Parliament, an event that she was proud to mention in her Christmas speech later that year, the very first televised Christmas speech from a British royal ever.

“Last October, I opened the new Canadian Parliament,” she said in the speech. “This was the first time that any sovereign had done so in Ottawa. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the loyalty and enthusiasm of my Canadian people.”

But her longest trip to Canada — and arguably the most important — occurred in 1959, when she toured all of the provinces, as well as both current territories, with Prince Philip for 45 days. This is still the longest tour any reigning monarch has made of Canada, and although the Queen visited Canada many times after, she never did so on this scale again.

Buckingham Palace instructed the visit to be referred to as a “royal tour” to emphasize the importance, and to position the Queen as comfortable in her role as Queen of Canada.

Although the Queen was greeted with crowds wherever she went, travelled more than 24,000 kilometres on this trip, shook nearly 5,000 hands and attended sixty-one formal functions, according to the book “Canada and the End of Empire,” the tour was not without controversy. Indigenous people were present at many events on her tour, often meeting with the Queen to perform dances or demonstrate cultural knowledge — but any issues such as treaties or land rights were not permitted to be brought up.

In the years to come, the Queen would make around 20 more official visits to Canada. Including brief stopovers, the Queen has been in Canada more than 30 times.

Most trips have involved ceremonial duties, tours of the country or charity work, but she has also come to Canada to act in an official capacity, such as when she opened Parliament in 1957, and when she delivered a Speech from the Throne again in 1977.

The speech to outline the federal government’s plans for the coming session of Parliament is usually read by the Governor General as the Queen’s representative. The Queen’s second time reading the speech herself in 1977 was part of her Silver Jubilee tour, the 25th anniversary of her ascending to the throne of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Another notable visit was when the Queen came to Canada in 1982 to sign the landmark Proclamation of the Constitution Act, the passing of which gave Canada full independence.

During her visits, the Queen often honoured Canada through her wardrobe. In 1957, on her first trip to Canada post-coronation, she wore a striking cream gown covered in sparkling green maple leaves to the state banquet at Rideau Hall, dubbed the “Maple Leaf of Canada Dress.”

During her tour of Canada in 1959, she wore a blue and pink evening gown designed by Sir Hardy Amies to a dinner at the Government House in Nova Scotia, which was embroidered with blooms representing mayflowers, the provincial flower of Nova Scotia.

In her later years, she was frequently seen wearing an iconic diamond brooch in the shape of a maple leaf, called the “Canadian Maple Leaf Royal Brooch.” It had been a favourite of her mother, and after it was passed down to the Queen, she wore it to Canada numerous times, as well as loaning it to family members such as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, when they visited Canada.

Over the years, the Queen developed strong relationships with Canada’s prime ministers, having met with many of them in person.

The Queen appointed Jean Chretien, Canada’s 20th Prime Minister to the Order of Merit in 2009, a distinction that is restricted to only 24 living people within the Commonwealth. It is given to “persons who have rendered exceptionally meritorious service to the Crown, in armed services or towards the advancement of arts, literature and science.”

Two other Canadian Prime Ministers had received the award before: William Lyon Mackenzie King in 1947, before the Queen took the throne, and Lester B. Pearson in 1971.

The very last time the Queen visited Canada was in 2010, for a nine day visit through five different cities, a trip that saw her celebrating Canada Day in Ottawa on Parliament Hill. Continuing her tradition of honouring Canada through her garments, she even had a favourite dress adjusted to add Canadian maple leaves in Swarovski crystals down the right shoulder and sleeve to wear to a state dinner at the Royal York Hotel.

“My pride in this country remains undimmed.” the Queen said the first day of the trip, speaking to a crowd in Halifax.

The Queen never publicly declared which city or region of Canada was her favourite to visit, but outside of her numerous trips to Ottawa, she visited Victoria, B.C., five times, and visited Winnipeg, Vancouver, Regina and Toronto four times as well, not counting her 1959 tour of the entire country or brief stopovers.

Despite a lack of consensus in Canada over whether we should maintain our ties to the monarchy, a debate that has simmered for decades, the Queen’s visits always brought out numerous Canadians eager to catch a glimpse of the monarch.

And her regard for Canada was evident across her reign, from start to end.

“Throughout the years, particularly since your Centennial year, I have watched Canada develop into a remarkable nation,” the Queen said in 2017, on the 150th anniversary of Confederation. “You have earned a reputation as a welcoming, respectful and compassionate country.

"On this eve of national celebrations, my family and I are with you in spirit.”

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The Queen visited Canada more than any other country during her long reign

It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest the Queen held a special place in her heart for Canada.

As an ardent world traveller, she visited this country more than any other during her reign, and she was in the habit of referring to it as home.

If you include overnight visits and aircraft refuelling stops, the Queen visited Canada no less than 31 times since her coronation in June 1952, according to the Canadian Heritage Department.

In second place is Australia with 18 visits, including stopovers, according to the The Royal Family's official website.

"I think she really developed a warm affection for us," says Barry MacKenzie, a spokesman for the Monarchist League of Canada. "She's done a marvellous job of taking advantage of all of those opportunities to meet Canadians and to develop a taste for life here."

Here are some highlighfts from her visits:

1. Fall 1951

Royal watchers say the Queen's close relationship with Canada started even before she acceded to the throne.

On Oct. 8, 1951, Princess Elizabeth arrived at Montréal–Dorval International Airport, where she was met by 15,000 people on the tarmac.

Over the next 33 days, the princess and her husband, Prince Philip, travelled across the country and back again, visiting a total of 60 communities and every province.

She took in hockey games in Montreal and Toronto, made a side trip to Washington, D.C., to visit U.S. President Harry Truman, and square danced at Rideau Hall.

The quiet, 25-year-old princess and the gregarious prince were met by large crowds wherever they went, with some reports suggesting that one million people turned out to see them in Toronto and even more showed up in Montreal.

"It was an incredible feat of stamina," says MacKenzie, a history instructor at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S.

"People recognized that this young woman was next in line .... And she also had the added bonus of having a husband who was a war hero. They were young. They were beautiful."

At the end of the tour, in a farewell radio message broadcast from St. John's, N.L., Princess Elizabeth referred to Canada as her "second home."

"Wherever we have been throughout the 10 provinces ... we have been welcomed with a warmth of heart that has made us feel how truly we belong to Canada."

2. Fall 1957

The Queen's first official visit to Canada was a high-profile, four-day tour that included her first ever televised speech, broadcast live from Rideau Hall on Oct. 13, 1957.

The next day, she officially opened a new session of Parliament by reading the speech from the throne in the Senate chamber, with Prince Philip at her side.

It was the first time a reigning monarch opened the Canadian Parliament. The speech was also carried live on television.

3. Summer 1959

The longest royal tour in Canadian history was a gruelling, 45-day marathon that started on June 18, 1959 in eastern Newfoundland.

The highlight of the visit was the official opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 26, when the Queen was joined by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia at the lift-lock near St. Lambert, Ont.

Five days later, on Canada Day, the Queen delivered a televised address from a sunny veranda at Rideau Hall.

"If I have helped you feel proud of being Canadian, I shall feel well satisfied, because I believe with all conviction that this country can look to a glorious future," she said.

The Queen and Philip travelled to every province and both territories, logging 24,000 kilometres.

"This is the first time since she became Queen that everyone in Canada had the opportunity to see her," says MacKenzie. "And it's the last time that we see one of these huge undertakings."

The official itinerary included a trip to the Calgary Stampede, where Philip donned a cowboy hat, and numerous stops along the Great Lakes, including a trip to the World's Fair in Chicago.

On the last leg of their tour, the young couple made an unscheduled stop in eastern New Brunswick to meet the families of fishermen who died on the night of June 20-21 when a hurricane roared over the Northumberland Strait. The brutal storm capsized more than two dozen fishing boats, killing 35 men and boys — most of them from the village of Escuminac.

At Pointe-du-Chêne, N.B., the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh met with 16 grieving widows and their families on July 29.

Among them was a "tiny grey-haired woman in black, surrounded by 12 of her 18 surviving children," The Canadian Press reported at the time.

"(She) sat on a Northumberland Strait wharf .... and blinked back the tears as she received a sympathetic smile and kind word from Queen Elizabeth."

4. Summer 1967

The Queen and Prince Philip spent six days in Ottawa and Montreal to celebrate Canada's centennial.

Under bright sunshine on Parliament Hill, 50,000 people watched as the Queen cut into a gigantic birthday cake decorated with the coat of arms of each province and territory.

And in Montreal, the Queen rode the automated monorail that was part of the Expo 67 international exhibition.

That brief visit was marked by tight security as organizers wanted to avoid what happened in 1964 when the Queen's visit to Quebec City was marred by waves of police using truncheons to round up separatist protesters who were shouting slogans and singing irreverent songs.

5. Spring 1982

A four-day tour of Ottawa culminated in a ceremony on a sleet-soaked Parliament Hill, where the Queen joined Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to sign the proclamation of the Constitution Act

The act gives the Canadian Parliament the right to amend the constitution without the approval of the British Parliament.

The Act's passage, marked by royal assent from the Queen on April 17, 1982, signalled the last stage of Canada's political evolution from colony to fully independent state.

But it did not signal the end of the monarchy in Canada. Far from it. The Queen remained Canada's head of state and she retained her title as Queen of Canada.

"She wasn't signing a document and giving us our freedom," says MacKenzie. "This was the Queen of Canada signing an act that had been passed in her name in the Canadian Parliament .... It was not a declaration of independence."

6. Summer 2010

On the Queen's final visit to Canada, she told a crowd in Halifax exactly how she felt about this vast part of her realm.

"It is very good to be home," she said on June 28 as she started a nine-day tour that would also take her to Ottawa, Winnipeg, Waterloo, Ont., and Toronto.

"My mother once said that this country felt like a home away from home for the Queen of Canada .... I am pleased to report that it still does."

In Ottawa, she celebrated Canada Day with a crowd of 70,000 on Parliament Hill, where she took a more wistful tone in her speech.

"During my lifetime, I have been witness to this country for more than half its history since Confederation," she said. "I have watched with enormous admiration how Canada has grown and matured while remaining true to its history, its distinctive character and its values."

In her book, "A Royal Couple in Canada," author Allison Lawlor says that on each of the Queen's many visits to Canada, she "succeeded in gracefully lifting Canadians out of their everyday lives for a few moments."

"Not only has she witnessed the growth of Canada, but generations of Canadians have watched the progression in her life as she moved from being their beautiful princess on her first visit in 1951, to a young mother raising four children, to a dignified Queen, and ... as an elder, worldly stateswoman."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2022. 

Queen Elizabeth II reads the Throne Speech in the Senate Chambers Oct. 18, 1977, officially opening the session of Parliament. Prime Minister Trudeau sits to the right of the Queen. (CP PHOTO)

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Queen Elizabeth's Royal Visits to Canada

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Queen Elizabeth, Canada's head of state , always draws crowds when she visits Canada. Since her accession to the Throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth has made 22 official Royal visits to Canada, usually accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh , and sometimes by her children Prince Charles , Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Queen Elizabeth has visited every province and territory in Canada.

2010 Royal Visit

Date: June 28 to July 6, 2010 Accompanied by Prince Philip The 2010 Royal Visit included celebrations in Halifax, Nova Scotia to mark the centennial of the founding of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and a dedication of the cornerstone for the Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

2005 Royal Visit

Date: May 17 to 25, 2005 Accompanied by Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attended events in Saskatchewan and Alberta to celebrate the centennial of the entry of Saskatchewan and Alberta into Confederation.

2002 Royal Visit

Date: October 4 to 15, 2002 Accompanied by Prince Philip The 2002 Royal Visit to Canada was in celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The Royal couple visited Iqaluit, Nunavut; Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Toronto, Oakville, Hamilton and Ottawa, Ontario; Fredericton, Sussex, and Moncton, New Brunswick.

1997 Royal Visit

Date: June 23 to July 2, 1997 Accompanied by Prince Philip The 1997 Royal Visit marked the 500th anniversary of John Cabot's arrival in what is now Canada. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited St. John's and Bonavista, Newfoundland; NorthWest River, Shetshatshiu, Happy Valley and Goose Bay, Labrador, They also visited London, Ontario and viewed the floods in Manitoba.

1994 Royal Visit

Date: August 13 to 22, 1994 Accompanied by Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured Halifax, Sydney, the Fortress of Louisbourg, and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia; and visited Yellowknife , Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit (then part of the Northwest Territories).

1992 Royal Visit

Date: June 30 to July 2, 1992 Queen Elizabeth visited Ottawa, Canada's capital, marking the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation and the 40th anniversary of her accession to the Throne.

1990 Royal Visit

Date: June 27 to July 1, 1990 Queen Elizabeth visited Calgary and Red Deer, Alberta, and then joined the celebrations for Canada Day in Ottawa, Canada's capital.

1987 Royal Visit

Date: October 9 to 24, 1987 Accompanied by Prince Philip On the 1987 Royal Visit, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured Vancouver, Victoria and Esquimalt, British Columbia; Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Canora, Veregin, Kamsack and Kindersley, Saskatchewan; and Sillery, Cap Tourmente, Rivière-du-Loup and La Pocatière, Quebec.

1984 Royal Visit

Date: September 24 to October 7, 1984 Accompanied by Prince Philip for all parts of the visit except Manitoba Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured New Brunswick and Ontario to participate in events marking the bicentennials of those two provinces. Queen Elizabeth also visited Manitoba.

1983 Royal Visit

Date: March 8 to 11, 1983 Accompanied by Prince Philip At the end of a tour of the U.S. West Coast, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, Vernon, Kamloops and New Westminster, British Columbia.

1982 Royal Visit

Date: April 15 to 19, 1982 Accompanied by Prince Philip This Royal Visit was to Ottawa, Canada's capital, for the Proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982.

1978 Royal Visit

Date: July 26 to August 6, 1978 Accompanied by Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward Toured Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and Alberta, attending the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta.

1977 Royal Visit

Date: October 14 to 19, 1977 Accompanied by Prince Philip This Royal Visit was to Ottawa, Canada's capital, in celebration of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Year.

1976 Royal Visit

Date: June 28 to July 6, 1976 Accompanied by Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward The Royal family visited Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and then Montreal, Quebec for the 1976 Olympics. Princess Anne was a member of the British equestrian team competing in the Olympics in Montreal.

1973 Royal Visit (2)

Date: July 31 to August 4, 1973 Accompanied by Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth was in Ottawa, Canada's capital, for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Prince Philip had his own program of events.

1973 Royal Visit (1)

Date: June 25 to July 5, 1973 Accompanied by Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth's first visit to Canada in 1973 included an extended tour of Ontario, including events to mark the 300th anniversary of Kingston. The Royal couple spent time in Prince Edward Island marking the centennial of PEI's entry into Canadian Confederation, and they went on to Regina, Saskatchewan, and Calgary, Alberta to participate in events marking the RCMP centennial.

1971 Royal Visit

Date: May 3 to May 12, 1971 Accompanied by Princess Anne Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne marked the centennial of British Columbia's entry into Canadian Confederation by visiting Victoria, Vancouver, Tofino, Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, William Lake and Comox, B.C.

1970 Royal Visit

Date: July 5 to 15, 1970 Accompanied by Prince Charles and Princess Anne The 1970 Royal Visit to Canada included a tour of Manitoba to celebrate the centennial of Manitoba's entry into Canadian Confederation. The Royal Family also visited the Northwest Territories to mark its centennial.

1967 Royal Visit

Date: June 29 to July 5, 1967 Accompanied by Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were in Ottawa, Canada's capital, to celebrate Canada's centennial. They also went to Montreal, Quebec to attend Expo '67.

1964 Royal Visit

Date: October 5 to 13, 1964 Accompanied by Prince Philip Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Visited Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Quebec City, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario to attend the commemoration of the three major conferences that led up to Canadian Confederation in 1867.

1959 Royal Visit

Date: June 18 to August 1, 1959 Accompanied by Prince Philip This was Queen Elizabeth's first major tour of Canada. She officially opened the St. Lawrence Seaway and visited all Canadian provinces and territories over the span of six weeks.

1957 Royal Visit

Date: October 12 to 16, 1957 Accompanied by Prince Philip On her first official visit to Canada as Queen, Queen Elizabeth spent four days in Ottawa, Canada's capital, and officially opened the first session of the 23rd Parliament of Canada.

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A list of the Queen’s visits to Canada over the years

By Canadian Press

Posted Sep 8, 2022 05:48:36 PM.

The Queen has lavished much attention on Canada over the years. Here’s a look at her official visits to Canada: 

1951: Her inaugural visit to Canada was made while she was still Princess Elizabeth. She and new husband Prince Philip made a coast-to-coast tour of the country.

1957: In her first visit as Queen, she and the Duke of Edinburgh made a four-day visit to Hull and Ottawa, where they officially opened that fall’s session of parliament.

1959: The Queen, with Prince Philip, made a six-week tour of all provinces and territories. Highlights included being on hand for the opening of the St. Lawrence seaway.

1964: The royal couple visited Charlottetown, Quebec City and Ottawa to attend commemoration of confederation meetings that took place a century earlier.

1967: The Queen and Prince Philip spent six days in Ottawa and Montreal attending celebrations for Canada’s centennial and Expo67.

1970: The Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Prince Charles visited Manitoba to mark the 100th anniversary of the province’s entry into Confederation. They also toured the Northwest Territories to participate in its centennial.

1971: The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Anne visited British Columbia to mark its centenary anniversary of joining Confederation.

1973: The Queen and Prince Philip visited Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Alberta. They marked the RCMP centennial, the centennial of P.E.I. joining Confederation and the tercentennial of Kingston, Ont.

1973: Less than a month later, the Queen and Prince Philip returned to Canada to greet heads of government at Commonwealth meetings in Ottawa.

1976: The Queen and princes Philip, Charles, Andrew and Edward toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They also took in the opening ceremonies for the Montreal Olympics and stayed to watch Princess Anne compete in equestrian events.

1977: The Queen and Prince Philip made a five-day visit to Ottawa to mark her Silver Jubilee.

1978: The Queen and princes Philip, Edward and Andrew visited Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and Alberta, where they attended the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

1982: The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, visited Ottawa for four days in order to sign the proclamation of the Constitution Act.

1983: The Queen and Prince Philip toured various cities in British Columbia over a three-day visit.

1984: The Queen and Prince Philip visited New Brunswick and Ontario for both provinces’ bicentennials. The Queen then carried on alone to tour Manitoba.

1987: The Queen and Prince Philip visited British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec over a 16-day tour.

1990: The Queen travelled alone to Red Deer, Alta., and Calgary before stopping in Ottawa for Canada Day festivities.

1992: The Queen visited Ottawa and Hull to mark the 125th anniversary of Confederation and the 40th anniversary of her accession.

1994: The Queen and Prince Philip toured Nova Scotia and British Columbia, where they attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria. The Duke of Edinburgh also made stops in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

1997: The Queen and Prince Philip travelled to Newfoundland in order to celebrate the 500th anniversary of John Cabot’s arrival. The Queen also visited several cities in Ontario, while Prince Philip surveyed flood damage in Manitoba.

2002: The Queen and Prince Philip made an 11-day visit to Canada on the last leg of their Commonwealth Golden Jubilee tour. Among other events, she dropped a ceremonial puck at a Vancouver Canucks game, visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, attended a lunch at Rideau Hall with 51 distinguished Canadians and presented the RCMP musical ride with an Irish mare.

2005: The Queen and Prince Philip made a nine-day tour of Saskatchewan and Alberta to celebrate both provinces’ centennials. The trip was characterized by torrents of rain at nearly every stop.

2010: The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, made a nine-day trip to Canada, starting with a stop in Halifax where she reviewed a flotilla for international warships. She also visited Ottawa, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Waterloo, Ont.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2022. 

The Canadian Press

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Remembering the Queen's 1959 tour along the St. Lawrence Seaway

As Jim Brownell looks through pictures at the Lost Villages Museum in Long Sault, he fondly remembers Queen Elizabeth II’s second visit to Canada in 1959, to officially open the St. Lawrence Seaway.

"June 27, 1959. I was 11 years old," he says with a smile. "I remember leaving our farmhouse and my mother was pushing a baby carriage because I think she had had her eighth child by then, and we walked out to the new Highway number 2. It had been in service for a year because the flood happened in '58 and this is '59."

The Queen and Prince Philip were on a 45-day nationwide tour, visiting every province and territory, which included many stops along the seaway to open the newly finished project after four years of construction.

Brownell is now the Ppresident of the Lost Villages Historical Society, helping to preserve the history of that project. 

"We were standing there with our Union Jacks and waving and she came by and gave the royal wave," Brownell said. "It was exciting, and she had the top down, the top was down on the limousine that she was in."

"I remember her in that dress,” he said. “That's the dress she wore all day."

She made stops in Long Sault, Ingleside, Morrisburg and Iroquois, arriving in Brockville that evening.

"It was a grand day and my folks were monarchists, they certainly loved the Royal  family and whatnot and I think that's how I got my great love for the Royal family," he recollects.

The golden book she signed in Inglesid is now part of the museum.

"Those four years of having absolute turmoil in lives of people, this was kind of a time to celebrate," Brownell said. "The Monarchy was quite strong at that time so people came out to celebrate, they certainly did."

Fast forward 59 years later to 2018, and Brownell had a chance to see the Queen again, this time in England at Buckingham Palace.

She had been named Colonel in Chief of the SDG Highlanders Regiment, with Brownell being the Honorary Colonel. Two others from the Regiment also attended. 

"We had a private audience of 18 minutes with her," he remembers. "Sitting, talking to her was like sitting and talking to the wisest grandmother you'd ever want to meet. It was an amazing experience that few get and I count myself very lucky."

"She's just a woman with stellar character. Gracious, intelligent," he said. "Just to think of how she knew so much about me with not a card in her hand and to greet me at the door."

"To extend her hand, I couldn't extend my hand until she did , but she to extend her hand and say ‘Welcome Colonel Brownell, it was magical," he said. 

"I had admired her from the first time that I knew what a Queen or a King was. During my lifetime I was born under a King, but most of my active life she's been the Queen and I've admired her all those years."

As Brownell discusses other photos of the Queen in the museum, news breaks of her passing. It was a tough moment for Brownell.

"You know, it's a sad day," he said, his voice breaking. "It's a sad day for those people who have a fondness for the Monarchy and for Queen Elizabeth. It's going to be a different time now."

"Through the good times and the bad times, she held it all together, and we're going to miss her," he added. 

Her memory, however, will now live on at the Lost Villages Museum, for many years to come.

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The Queen's visits to Canada

Canada's longest-serving monarch celebrates her 90th birthday today. Between 1957 and 2010, she visited Canada 22 times. Michelle Pressé takes a look at 10 of her most memorable trips and how The Globe and Mail covered them

This article was published more than 7 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

The Globe and Mail

October 12-16, Ottawa and Hull, Que.

The Queen opened the first session of the 23rd parliament.

On her first official visit to Canada as Head of State, the Queen addressed Canadians in a speech broadcast on TV and radio in which she declared her hope that the opening of the 23rd parliament would provide a glimpse "of the solid and durable foundations of our existence." After addressing Parliament, she attended a state dinner – greeted in the photo by Chief Justice Patrick Kerwin, wearing the Maple Leaf of Canada dress that featured a garland of green velvet maple leaves and white roses.

The Globe's story, published on Oct. 14, 1957 , said of her speech in Parliament: "Her Majesty, breaking into French twice, stressed her own role as Queen of Canada and her unashamed pride that she is able to consider herself as a member of the family."

June 18-Aug. 1, Canada

The Queen and Prince Philip's first official tour of Canada and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

During the longest royal tour in Canadian history, the Queen and Prince Phillip travelled more than 24,000 kilometres during the 45-day trip through all 10 provinces and (then) two territories. Just before the tour, Buckingham Palace released an official portrait.

The Globe and Mail wrote about the Royal couple's stop in Nanaimo, B.C., where 38 aboriginal tribes welcomed them and a beaming Mrs. Nels Wilson offered the Queen a fistful of "Indian ice cream from a yellow plastic pail." The July 17 article, with the headline, Queen Elizabeth Becomes a Princess of B.C. Indians but Decides Against Ice Cream, reported: "Mrs. Wilson had worked up the creamy brew with her fist from green soup berries, sugar and water… The Queen beamed back at Mrs. Wilson but did not dip."

Oct. 5-13, Charlottetown, Quebec City and Ottawa

The Queen and Prince Philip commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Fathers of Confederation's meetings in Charlottetown, PEI, but her arrival in Quebec City was overshadowed by anti-monarchy protests. Approximately 1,000 demonstrators chanted "Elizabeth stay at home," leading to the clubbing and arrest of several separatists in what became known as Le Samedi de la matraque (Truncheon Saturday). Members of Quebec City's special riot squad swung newly issued oak nightsticks at protesters outside the Château Frontenac, where the Queen and Prince Philip attended dinner.

Globe and Mail columnist Bruce West wrote about Truncheon Saturday under the headline, An Insult to Canada. He wrote, "To insult her in Quebec, or anywhere else in this world, is to insult us and our fathers and our forefathers."

Fred Ross/The Globe and Mail

June 29-July 5, Ottawa and Montreal

The Queen attends Expo '67 in Montreal and Canada's centennial ceremonies in Ottawa, including a garden party at the Governor-General's residence on July 1.

During the Queen's Ottawa visit, The Globe and Mail wrote: "She comes as Queen of Canada to celebrate with her people our 100 years of nationhood. Her presence on Parliament Hill on Saturday will be the highlight of our Centennial ceremonies, and we can be certain that her joy and pride on the occasion will be as great as our own."

Canadian Press

June 25-July 5, Ontario, P.E.I., Saskatchewan and Alberta

The Queen participated in events marking the centennial of PEI in Confederation, the 300th anniversary of Kingston., Ont., and the RCMP centennial. In Regina, Sask., the Queen accepted a peace pipe from Chief David Ahenakew during a visit to the RCMP training depot.

In a June 25 article, The Globe and Mail reported on the details of the Queen's protocol and security during a visit to Scarborough, Ont., including the challenge of choosing a flower girl to present a bouquet to the Queen, who "prefers whatever flowers are in season in each place she visits."

July 13-25 , Montreal, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

The Queen attends the 1976 Olympics in Montreal

The Queen was joined by Prince Philip, and sons Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward for the Olympic Games, in which Princess Anne competed as a member of the British equestrian team. In the image, the Queen and Prince Philip receive an ovation as they arrive for the opening ceremonies on July 17, 1976.

The Royal Family also stopped in the Maritimes for a brief visit, including a tour of the Halifax Shipyards Ltd. in Nova Scotia. A story headlined Royal grit amid the grime , published on July 14, 1975, noted that the shipyard "did not make her wear a safety helmet although everybody else had to – and I tell ye, b'y, a red-coated Mountie in a bright green safety helmet is a sight that every Canadian should see."

Ron Poling/The Canadian Press

April 15-19, Ottawa

The Queen visits on the occasion of the Proclamation of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Approximately 32,000 people gathered in the rain around Parliament Hill on April 17, 1982, to watch the Queen and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau sign the Royal Proclamation of the Constitution, severing Canada's last colonial tie to Britain. In a roundup of the day by The Globe and Mail's Ottawa bureau, it was reported that the Privy Council Office discovered the day before the ceremony that it had forgotten to provide an appropriate pen for the Queen to sign the proclamation. "A staffer was quickly dispatched to Birks and bought a $75 gold pen for the occasion," the report noted.

Oct. 9-24 British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec

The Queen's first official visit to Quebec since 1964.

The Queen participated in the opening sessions for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting during the 16-day tour. The majority of her time was spent in Western Canada, but her Quebec visit rekindled a fire for some French Canadians. A story headlined Not welcome here, Quebec protesters tell visiting queen , was published on Oct. 24, 1987. It said a "small but vocal group of nationalist protesters" attended her visit. A more appreciative crowd greeted the Queen in Regina, where a young boy presented her with flowers on Oct. 16, 1987.

Shaun Best/Reuters

Oct. 4-15 , Iqaluit, NU; Victoria and Vancouver, BC; Winnipeg, Man.; Toronto, Hamilton, Oakville, Ont.; Fredericton, Sussex, Moncton, N.B.; and National Capital Region.

The occasion of the Queen's Golden Jubilee

During the Queen's 12-day Golden Jubilee tour, she thanked Canadians for their "loyalty, encouragement and support" during the 50 years of her reign. The Queen started her Jubilee tour Oct. 4 in Iqaluit, escorted by Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.

In an Oct. 14, 2002 Globe and Mail article, Admiration for Canadians 'strong and sure,' Queen says , provided details of the Queen's final speech to Canadians. In it, she said that "wherever the future might take us," she wanted the country's citizens to know that her admiration for them remained "clear, strong and sure."

Fred Thornhill/REUTERS

June 28-July 6, Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Toronto and Waterloo, Ont.

The Queen visits Halifax to mark the navy's 100th anniversary, Ottawa for Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill and Winnipeg for a dedication of the cornerstone for the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. The 2010 tour was the Queen's 22nd official visit to Canada as reigning monarch and included a stop to visit with war veterans gathered outside Research in Motion headquarters in Waterloo, Ont., July 5, 2010.

While visiting Halifax on June 29, The Globe and Mail published Royal Visit: Home, for the 22nd time the Queen reveals her feelings for Canada. She told the crowd, "It's very good to be home."

Editor's note: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of provinces the Queen visited. This version has been corrected.

THE QUEEN TURNS 90: MORE FROM THE GLOBE AND MAIL

From the archives: Watch Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953

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A list of the Queen's visits to Canada over the years

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The Queen has lavished much attention on Canada over the years. Here's a look at her official visits to Canada: 

1951: Her inaugural visit to Canada was made while she was still Princess Elizabeth. She and new husband Prince Philip made a coast-to-coast tour of the country.

1957: In her first visit as Queen, she and the Duke of Edinburgh made a four-day visit to Hull and Ottawa, where they officially opened that fall's session of parliament.

1959: The Queen, with Prince Philip, made a six-week tour of all provinces and territories. Highlights included being on hand for the opening of the St. Lawrence seaway.

1964: The royal couple visited Charlottetown, Quebec City and Ottawa to attend commemoration of confederation meetings that took place a century earlier.

1967: The Queen and Prince Philip spent six days in Ottawa and Montreal attending celebrations for Canada's centennial and Expo67.

1970: The Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Prince Charles visited Manitoba to mark the 100th anniversary of the province’s entry into Confederation. They also toured the Northwest Territories to participate in its centennial.

1971: The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Anne visited British Columbia to mark its centenary anniversary of joining Confederation.

1973: The Queen and Prince Philip visited Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Alberta. They marked the RCMP centennial, the centennial of P.E.I. joining Confederation and the tercentennial of Kingston, Ont.

1973: Less than a month later, the Queen and Prince Philip returned to Canada to greet heads of government at Commonwealth meetings in Ottawa.

1976: The Queen and princes Philip, Charles, Andrew and Edward toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They also took in the opening ceremonies for the Montreal Olympics and stayed to watch Princess Anne compete in equestrian events.

1977: The Queen and Prince Philip made a five-day visit to Ottawa to mark her Silver Jubilee.

1978: The Queen and princes Philip, Edward and Andrew visited Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and Alberta, where they attended the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

1982: The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, visited Ottawa for four days in order to sign the proclamation of the Constitution Act.

1983: The Queen and Prince Philip toured various cities in British Columbia over a three-day visit.

1984: The Queen and Prince Philip visited New Brunswick and Ontario for both provinces’ bicentennials. The Queen then carried on alone to tour Manitoba.

1987: The Queen and Prince Philip visited British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec over a 16-day tour.

1990: The Queen travelled alone to Red Deer, Alta., and Calgary before stopping in Ottawa for Canada Day festivities.

1992: The Queen visited Ottawa and Hull to mark the 125th anniversary of Confederation and the 40th anniversary of her accession.

1994: The Queen and Prince Philip toured Nova Scotia and British Columbia, where they attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria. The Duke of Edinburgh also made stops in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

1997: The Queen and Prince Philip travelled to Newfoundland in order to celebrate the 500th anniversary of John Cabot’s arrival. The Queen also visited several cities in Ontario, while Prince Philip surveyed flood damage in Manitoba.

2002: The Queen and Prince Philip made an 11-day visit to Canada on the last leg of their Commonwealth Golden Jubilee tour. Among other events, she dropped a ceremonial puck at a Vancouver Canucks game, visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, attended a lunch at Rideau Hall with 51 distinguished Canadians and presented the RCMP musical ride with an Irish mare.

2005: The Queen and Prince Philip made a nine-day tour of Saskatchewan and Alberta to celebrate both provinces' centennials. The trip was characterized by torrents of rain at nearly every stop.

2010: The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, made a nine-day trip to Canada, starting with a stop in Halifax where she reviewed a flotilla for international warships. She also visited Ottawa, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Waterloo, Ont.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2022. 

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A list of the Queen's visits to Canada over the years

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The Queen has lavished much attention on Canada over the years. Here’s a look at her official visits to Canada:

1951: Her inaugural visit to Canada was made while she was still Princess Elizabeth. She and new husband Prince Philip made a coast-to-coast tour of the country.

1957: In her first visit as Queen, she and the Duke of Edinburgh made a four-day visit to Hull and Ottawa, where they officially opened that fall’s session of parliament.

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1959: The Queen, with Prince Philip, made a six-week tour of all provinces and territories. Highlights included being on hand for the opening of the St. Lawrence seaway.

1964: The royal couple visited Charlottetown, Quebec City and Ottawa to attend commemoration of confederation meetings that took place a century earlier.

1967: The Queen and Prince Philip spent six days in Ottawa and Montreal attending celebrations for Canada’s centennial and Expo67.

1970: The Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Prince Charles visited Manitoba to mark the 100th anniversary of the province’s entry into Confederation. They also toured the Northwest Territories to participate in its centennial.

1971: The Queen, Prince Philip and Princess Anne visited British Columbia to mark its centenary anniversary of joining Confederation.

1973: The Queen and Prince Philip visited Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Alberta. They marked the RCMP centennial, the centennial of P.E.I. joining Confederation and the tercentennial of Kingston, Ont.

1973: Less than a month later, the Queen and Prince Philip returned to Canada to greet heads of government at Commonwealth meetings in Ottawa.

1976: The Queen and princes Philip, Charles, Andrew and Edward toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They also took in the opening ceremonies for the Montreal Olympics and stayed to watch Princess Anne compete in equestrian events.

1977: The Queen and Prince Philip made a five-day visit to Ottawa to mark her Silver Jubilee.

1978: The Queen and princes Philip, Edward and Andrew visited Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and Alberta, where they attended the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

1982: The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, visited Ottawa for four days in order to sign the proclamation of the Constitution Act.

1983: The Queen and Prince Philip toured various cities in British Columbia over a three-day visit.

1984: The Queen and Prince Philip visited New Brunswick and Ontario for both provinces’ bicentennials. The Queen then carried on alone to tour Manitoba.

1987: The Queen and Prince Philip visited British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec over a 16-day tour.

1990: The Queen travelled alone to Red Deer, Alta., and Calgary before stopping in Ottawa for Canada Day festivities.

1992: The Queen visited Ottawa and Hull to mark the 125th anniversary of Confederation and the 40th anniversary of her accession.

1994: The Queen and Prince Philip toured Nova Scotia and British Columbia, where they attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria. The Duke of Edinburgh also made stops in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

1997: The Queen and Prince Philip travelled to Newfoundland in order to celebrate the 500th anniversary of John Cabot’s arrival. The Queen also visited several cities in Ontario, while Prince Philip surveyed flood damage in Manitoba.

2002: The Queen and Prince Philip made an 11-day visit to Canada on the last leg of their Commonwealth Golden Jubilee tour. Among other events, she dropped a ceremonial puck at a Vancouver Canucks game, visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, attended a lunch at Rideau Hall with 51 distinguished Canadians and presented the RCMP musical ride with an Irish mare.

2005: The Queen and Prince Philip made a nine-day tour of Saskatchewan and Alberta to celebrate both provinces’ centennials. The trip was characterized by torrents of rain at nearly every stop.

2010: The Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, made a nine-day trip to Canada, starting with a stop in Halifax where she reviewed a flotilla for international warships. She also visited Ottawa, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Waterloo, Ont.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2022.

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Past Royal Tours

Members of the Royal Family have made several official and personal tours of Canada over the years, further strengthening the bond between the Crown and Canada.

2022 Royal Tour

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited Canada from May 17 to 19, 2022 to mark Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Private and official tours since 1953

History buffs will enjoy going back in time for a look at past monarchs who toured Canada from 1786 to 1951 .

Throughout her 70-year reign, The Queen made 22 official tours of Canada, more than any other Commonwealth country. She made her first tour as Princess Elizabeth in 1951 with her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh. She travelled to all regions of the country and was a constant presence in the lives of Canadians, witnessing growth and significant change in Canadian society.

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The 1939 Royal Visit

Royal Visit, 1939.

Canada Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-063457

19 May 1939

In early May 1939, King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth sailed from England on the Empress of Australia bound for Canada on a month-tour of North America. It was the first visit by a reigning sovereign to Canada, for that matter to any overseas Dominion. It was also the first time that a British monarch had visited the United States of America. With the clouds of war darkening Europe, the tour had tremendous political significance as Britain sought allies in the expected conflict with Nazi Germany. Lesser known is the constitutional significance of the trip, with the King visiting Canada, not as the King of Great Britain, but as the King of Canada.

Lord Tweedsmuir, Canada’s Governor General, raised the possibility of a Canadian Royal Tour in early 1937, with Prime Minister Mackenzie King extending the official invitation while he was in London for the King George’s coronation in May of that year. Tweedsmuir, also known as John Buchan, the famous Scottish novelist, was a passionate supporter of Canada. He sought to give substance to the Statute of Westminster. The Statute, passed in Britain in December 1931, effectively gave Canada its autonomy, recognizing that the Canadian government was in no way subordinate to the Imperial government in either domestic or international affairs, although they shared a common allegiance to the Crown. At a time when many Canadians saw their first loyalty as being to the Empire, Tweedsmuir hoped that a Royal Tour of Canada would strengthen a still nascent Canadian nationalism. He believed that it was essential that King George be seen in Canada doing his kingly duties as the King of Canada rather than a symbol of Empire. Earning the ire of Canadian imperialists, Tweedsmuir publicly stated that “A Canadian’s first loyalty is not to the British Commonwealth of Nations but to Canada and Canada’s King.” When U.S. President Roosevelt heard that a trip to Canada was being planned for the royal couple, he extended an invitation to the King and Queen to come to the United States as well, writing that a visit would be “an excellent thing for Anglo-American relations.”

Although the British Government was supportive of a North American Royal Tour, the trip was delayed for almost two years owing to the political situation in Europe. When the decision was finally made to proceed in the spring of 1939, the original plan to use a battleship for the transatlantic voyage was scrapped in favour of a civilian ocean liner in case the warship was needed to defend Britain. Even so, the trip was almost stillborn given deteriorating European political conditions. The cruisers HMS Glasgow and HMS Southampton provided a military escort for the King and Queen. The two vessels also secretly carried fifty tons of British gold destined for the Bank of Canada’s vault on Wellington Street, out of reach of Germany, and ready to be used to buy war material and other supplies, from Canada and the United States.

After taking leave of their daughters, the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, at Waterloo Station in London, the royal couple made their way to Portsmouth where they met the 20,000 ton Empress of Australia. Delayed two days by heavy seas and fog, the gleaming white ship received a rapturous welcome on its arrival in Québec City on 17 May. In the days before the Quiet Revolution, the Crown, seen as a guarantor of minority rights, was held in high esteem in French Canada. More than 250,000 people crammed onto the Plains of Abraham and along the heights overlooking the St Lawrence to greet the ocean liner, and for a glimpse of their King and Queen. The crowds roared Vive le Roi and Vive la Reine as the King and Queen alit on Canadian soil for the first time at Wolfe’s Cove. A National Film Board documentary covering the event described King George as the “symbol of the new Canada, a free nation inside a great Commonwealth.”

The royal couple was greeted by federal and provincial dignitaries, including Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis, as well as an honour guard of the francophone Royal 22nd Regiment—colloquially known in English as the Van Doos—that escorted them through the crowded, flag-bedecked streets of old Québec to the provincial legislature building. There, the King and Queen were officially welcomed, with the King replying in both English and French in the slow, deliberate style he used to overcome his stammer.

The King and Queen spent two days in la belle province, also stopping in Trois Rivières, and Montreal before making their way to the nation’s capital. By one estimate, two million people were on the streets of Montreal to greet the monarchs. Their luxurious blue and white train, its twelve cars each equipped with a telephone and radio, stopped beside a reception platform located on Ottawa’s Island Park Drive at about 11am on 19 May. Despite the cold, inclement weather—drizzle and what suspiciously looked like snow—tens of thousands had assembled to greet the King and Queen. Many had gone early, either to the train station, or to find a viewing spot along the processional route. At morning rush hour, downtown Ottawa was deserted “as though its entire population had been mysteriously wiped out overnight” according to the Ottawa Citizen. In actual fact, the city’s population had doubled with many coming from outlying areas to see the King and Queen. Thousands of Americans had also come north to witness history in the making.

Descending from the train onto a red-carpeted platform under a canopy draped with bunting, King George and Queen Elizabeth were met by Lord and Lady Tweedsmuir, Prime Minister Mackenzie King, members of cabinet who were not presented at Québec City, and Ottawa’s mayor Stanley Lewis. A 21-gun salute was fired by the 1st Field Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery to honour the sovereigns’ arrival. Church bells began pealing. With the clouds parting, the royal party, accompanied by an escort of the 4th Princess Louise’s Dragoon Guards, rode in an open landau from the Island Park Station through the Experimental Farm, along Highway 16, down the Driveway to Connaught Place, and finally along Mackenzie Avenue and Lady Grey Drive to Rideau Hall, the home of the Governor General. Along the route, the royal couple was greeted by a continuous rolling applause by the hundreds of thousands that line the eight-mile route.

That evening, a State Dinner was held at the Château Laurier hotel for more than 700 guests consisting of clear soup, a mousse of chicken, lamb with asparagus, carrots, peas, and potatoes, followed by a fruit pudding with maple syrup. While a formal affair, the meal was held “in an atmosphere of democratic ease.” Before dinner, the King and Queen stepped out on the balcony of the hotel to receive a thunderous applause from the 40,000 people in the Square below.

The following day, 20 May, was declared the King’s official birthday; his actual birthday was 14 December. With great pageantry, a Trooping of the Colours was held on Parliament Hill to mark the event. This was followed by the laying of the cornerstone of Canada’s Supreme Court building on Wellington Street by Queen Elizabeth as her husband looked on. Speaking in English and French, the Queen remarked that “Perhaps it is not inappropriate that this task [laying the cornerstone] should be performed by a woman; for a woman’s position in civilized society has depended upon the growth of law.”

After the laying the Supreme Court’s cornerstone, the royal couple had a quick tour of Hull, with an impromptu stop in front of the Normal School so that the Queen could accept a bouquet of flowers. They then returned to Ottawa via the Alexandra Bridge for a private lunch with the Prime Minister at Laurier House. That afternoon, the King and Queen took a break from their official duties to tour the Quebec countryside near Aylmer. On their way back home to Rideau Hall, they stopped at Dow’s Lake where they talked to a small boy who was fishing. When informed that he was talking to the King and Queen, the little boy fled.

On Sunday, 21 May, the King formally unveiled the National War Memorial in front of more than 100,000 spectators and 10,000 veterans of the Great War. Commenting on the allegorical figures of Peace and Freedom at the top of the memorial, the King said that “It is well that we have in one of the world’s capitals a visible reminder of so great a truth that without freedom there can be no enduring peace, and without peace, no enduring freedom.”

After the unveiling, God Save the King and O Canada were played. There was considerable press commentary that the King remained in salute for O Canada, which was until then just a popular patriotic song. It is from this point that the song became Canada’s unofficial national anthem, something which was finally officially recognized in 1980. The King and Queen then strolled into the crowd of veterans to greet and talk to them personally. This was an unprecedented event. Never before had the King and Queen walked unescorted and unprotected through such crowds; an act that delighted the ex-servicemen and terrified the security men.

Mid-afternoon, the King and Queen returned to their train, leaving Ottawa for Toronto, their next stop on their month-long Royal Tour of Canada and the United States. Interestingly, on their short U.S. visit, no British minister accompanied the King and Queen. Instead, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King was the sole minister present to advise the King. This underscored the point that King George was visiting the United States as King of Canada. After four days in the United States, with stops in Washington and New York, including a visit to Canada’s pavilion at the World Fair, the King and Queen resumed their Canadian tour in eastern Canada.

After crisscrossing the continent by train, King George and Queen Elizabeth bade farewell to Canada on 15 June, leaving Halifax on the Empress of Britain, bound for St John’s, capital of Newfoundland, then a separate Dominion. The royal couple left North America two days later, returning to England on 21 June.

The trip was an overwhelming success. The King was seen and widely acclaimed as King of Canada—the objective of the Governor General. It was a political triumph for Prime Minister Mackenzie King who accompanied the royal couple throughout their trip. It was also a huge success for the King and Queen. Later, the Queen remarked that “Canada had made us, the King and I.” The handsome, young couple charmed their Canadian subjects. With the world on the brink of war, they pushed the grim international headlines to the back pages, and reminded Canadians of their democratic institutions, and the freedoms they enjoyed. The King and Queen also enchanted President Roosevelt and the U.S. public. The goodwill they earned was to be of huge importance following the outbreak of war less than three months later. Lastly, the visit was a triumph for the new Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). With more than 100 journalists covering the Royal Tour, the event established the broadcaster as the authoritative voice of Canada.

Bousfield, Arthur and Toffoli, Garry, 1989.  Royal Spring: The Royal Tour of 1939 and the Queen Mother in Canada , Dundurn Press Ltd: Toronto.

British Pathé, 1939.  Royal Banners Over Ottawa ,

Canadian Crown, 2015.  The Royal Tour of King George VI ,

Galbraith, J. William, 1989. “ Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1939 Royal Visit ,” Canadian Parliamentary Review,

————————-, 2013.  John Buchan: Model Governor General , Dundurn Press Ltd: Toronto.

Harris, Carolyn, 2015. “ 1939 Royal Tour ,”  Historica Canada ,

Lanctôt, Gustave, 1964.  The Royal Tour of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Canada and the United States of America , 1939. E.P. Taylor Foundation: Toronto.

National Film Board, 1939. “ The Royal Visit ,”

National Post , 2004. “ It made Us, the King and I ,”

The Ottawa Citizen , 1939. “Over 10,000 Veterans Ready To Line Route For Royalty,”1 May.

———————–, 1939. “Magnificent Royal Welcome Given By Quebec,” 17 May.

———————-, 1939. “Complete Official Program For Royal Visit To Ottawa Contains Ceremonial Detail,” 18 May.

———————, 1939. “Palace on Wheels Official Residence Of King And Queen,” 18 May.

———————, 1939. “Our King And Queen, God Bless Them!” 19 May.

———————, 1939. “Their Canadian Capital Extends Affectionate, Warm-Hearted, Greeting,”19 May.

ThemeTrains.com, 2015. “ The Story of the Canadian: Royal Train of 1939 ,”

Vipond, Mary, 2010. “The Royal Tour of 1939 as a Media Event,”  Canadian Journal of Communications , Vol. 35, 149-172.

Royal Visit, 1939. Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-063457.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth giving Royal Assent to Bills in Canada’s Senate, 19 May 1939, Imperial War Museum, C-033278.

Story written by James Powell, the author of the blog  Today in Ottawa's History .

Retired from the Bank of Canada, James is the author or co-author of three books dealing with some aspect of Canadian history. These comprise: A History of the Canadian Dollar, 2005, Bank of Canada, The Bank of Canada of James Elliott Coyne: Challenges, Confrontation and Change,” 2009, Queen’s University Press, and with Jill Moxley, Faking It! A History of Counterfeiting in Canada, 2013, General Store Publishing House, Renfrew, Ontario. James is a Director of The Historical Society of Ottawa.

• Queen Elizabeth

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Queen Elizabeth visits Ottawa 1957

Video queen elizabeth visits ottawa 1957.

• 7 years ago
• Duration 2:16

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip welcomed at Lansdowne Park during 1957 Ottawa visit.

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